Saints Contract Could Be Debated Next Week

((HT: New Orleans Times-Picayune/Ed Anderson))

The contract between the state and the New Orleans Saints could be ready for debate in the House floor late next week, the same time the chamber takes up the state's $26.7 billion operating budget, House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Algiers, said Tuesday.

"There will be some good questions in committee and on the floor, but it should pass," Tucker told reporters after briefing the House on the new Saints deal for more than an hour .

"There are those opposed to making an investment in the Dome with $85 million in surplus money," Tucker said. He said he thinks their concerns can be addressed in the next week.

Tucker said the House Ways and Means Committee will consider the surplus money for Superdome renovation as part of the cash section of House Bill 2, the state's capital construction budget, sponsored by Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge.

If the timetable holds and the operating and capital budget bills are debated on the House floor May 14 and 15, it would come close to meeting the deadline of the National Football League owners who will be meeting May 18-20 to pick a site for the 2013 Super Bowl.

Tucker told House members there are two major elements to the agreement to keep the Saints in New Orleans through 2025: using the state surplus revenues from last year to finance substantial improvements to the Superdome; and winning approval of legislation that will allow the state to lease about 320,000 square feet of office space in the Dominion Towers, which will be purchased by Saints owner Tom Benson and renovated at his cost to house state agencies in the New Orleans area.

Tucker said the lease agreement for office space will be dealt with in a separate bill authorizing the state to lease the space from Benson. Benson will have to find tenants for the other 140,000 square feet in the tower, damaged and closed since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Tucker said Benson will make about $12 million of improvements to the tower and charge the state about $24 a square foot for the office space which is "probably on the high end of reasonable" rates for top-quality space in the downtown area.

Tucker said if the state had to rent the space in Baton Rouge, the rates would possibly be as much as $34 a square foot. Building a new office tower in New Orleans for state agencies, he said, would cost about $90 million.

The Superdome Commission and the Saints will also co-develop space in the New Orleans Centre as an entertainment district, Tucker said.

He said the deal will have a positive impact on the Central Business District which has been struggling to rebound since Katrina.

Saints Staying In N'Awlins Through 2025

((HT: New Orleans Times-Picayune))

Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson ((pictured with Rita Benson LeBlanc,thanks Ted Jackson/NO Times-Picayune)) made it official at a 10:15 a.m. press conference: the state of Louisiana and the Saints have agreed to a deal that will keep the team playing in the Louisiana Superdome through 2025.

"Today is a great day for Louisiana," Jindal said. "After many months of hard work, we've reached an agreement with the Saints that benefits taxpayers and benefits the citizens of Louisiana."

Jindal said that a recent university study concluded that over the life of the extension, this deal would generate more than $400 million for the city and state.

"This is a great deal not only for New Orleans, but for the state Louisiana," Jindal said. "This is a terrific investment for the state."

A key component of the deal is that Benson will purchase the New Orleans Center and the Dominion Tower, located next to the Dome, and lease that space. The Center will be turned into a sports and entertainment area.

"What's great about this agreement is that it helps a significant part of downtown recover," Jindal said.

As part of the deal, the state would put $85 million into continuing renovations into the Superdome, which will add seating and suites and continue to modernize the 34-year old building.

When completed, there will be more than 70,000 seats and will add 16 new suites. New Orleans is hoping the additions will help it land the Super Bowl in 2013.

With the dome improvements and the sale of the New Orleans Center, the Benson family and the Saints will be responsible for generating revenue and the state's responsibility diminishes.

"This puts more of a burden on the Saints, but that's OK," Benson said. "We're not just talking, we're investing and I encourage others out there to do that, too."

Here's a big picture graphic of the plan as it stands...
Nakia Hogan and Kate Moran have even more details...
Val Bracy's coverage from Fox 8 is in black here...
Here's a copy of the press release sent out to the masses...
But it may be a tough sell to some Louisiana lawmakers...
Our friends at WVUE/Fox 8 pursue the idea...

More NOLA Reax on Saints Future

((HT: New Orleans Times-Picayune/Ed Anderson))
Sen. John Alario, D-Westwego, said today a deal between the state and the Saints ((Drew Brees pictured, thanks David Grunfeld/NO Times-Picayune)) is near, and the proposals he has heard discussed may may wind up saving taxpayers about $240 million with a new 15-year contract with the franchise. Alario said after a high-level briefing with Superdome officials and key state lawmakers at the Governor's Mansion that state officials "have indicated they may be signing some agreement in the next couple of days," said Alario, the dean of the Legislature who had a key role in creating the existing contract which expires after the 2010 football season.

Alario said the proposed deal will involve Saints owner Tom Benson buying the Dominion Towers adjacent to the Superdome, then leasing about 300,000 square feet -- roughly two-thirds of the building back to state agencies.

Several lawmakers who attended a later briefing on the deal said that the state will pay Benson about $3.8 million a year in rent for offices at the tower.

Rep. Walt Leger II, D-New Orleans, said the plans as he understands them also call for the state to tap $85 million of the remaining $150 million in state surplus money to make repairs to the Superdome and the area around it.

However, House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Algiers, said that the surplus and other revenue sources are also under consideration as a way to pay for renovations to the state facilities.

The existing deal will pay the Saints about $186.5 million by the time the contract expires in 2010.

Alario said the state will be paying the "going rate" for rental, comparable to other office space in the New Orleans Central Business District.

He said the state will pay no more than $6 million in cash to Benson -- possibly less -- if certain benchmarks are met such as attendance levels, ticket sale sand suitres sales.

Alario and Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, said the deal also involves the Superdome Commission co-developing the food court and other areas of the storm-damaged New Orleans Centre, but details were sketchy.

Alario said it was his understanding that Benson would pay about $10.5 million over three years to help redevelop the area.

Alario said he understands the area to be renovated would be turned into an "entertainment venue."

"It will not be easy, but we can work it out," Alario said of lawmakers' approval of the deal during the session.

Rep. Juan LaFonta, D-New Orleans, said the deal just shifts money from one source to another for Benson. With education and health care needs being cut around the state, LaFonta said, the deal as it was laid out "is robbing from the poor to give to the rich.

"The state has not done anything for the concerns like NOAH (the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital) and layoffs at University Hospital."

Saints Presser Thursday To Discuss Future in NO

((HT: WVUE-TV/Fox 8-Rob Masson))

State lawmakers know a lot more today about a deal we first told you about to keep the Saints in New Orleans for 15 to 20 more years.

Thursday, Governor Bobby Jindal and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson will hold a press conference at the Superdome at 10 a.m. to make an announcement regarding the team.

They received two briefings on the issue in Baton Rouge. The first came this morning at the Governor's mansion. Saints Chief Financial Officer Dennis Lauscha left the meeting confident that a deal allowing the Saints to acquire New Orleans Center and Dominion Tower and lease property back to the state would be announced soon.

Governor Bobby Jindal would not comment on reports that the new deal would reduce state payments to the saints by $17 million a year.

Currently, the state pays the team $23.5 million a year in a direct cash subsidy.
Here's your update from our friends at WVUE-TV/Fox 8

Long-Term Saints Deal in The Works

((HT: WVUE-TV/Fox 8-Natasha Robin))

A Saints official confirms ((Tuesday night)) that team leaders will meet with lawmakers tomorrow about negotiations for a long term deal. Governor ((Bobby)) Jindal will also be there to bring Lawmakers up to speed on what's been discussed so far. Governor Jindal says there has been "significant movement" between the two sides.

The new agreement could keep the Saints in New Orleans for years. As part of the new long term deal, Saints owner Tom Benson may buy Dominion Tower ((pictured, thanks Fox 8)) and lease much of the space back to the city and the state.

After several inspections, the total price tag for a full rehab on the building is somewhere between 20 and 50 million dollars. The goal is to eliminate the need for direct cash subsidies from the state to the Saints and at the same time, breathe new life into a commercial corridor that has yet to come back from Katrina.

Any new deal would have to be approved by lawmakers. Adding yet another level of urgency to the proposal, NFL owners decide in just a few weeks if New Orleans bid to host the 2013 Superbowl moves forward.

A deal with Benson could dramatically boost the odds.
Here's the video version from Fox 8 in New Orleans...

VooDoo Snakebit- Arena Team Ceases Operations

New Orleans Saints and VooDoo owner Tom Benson announced today that his Arena Football League franchise would cease operations- effective immediately...
in an announcement made by Saints Vice President Greg Bensel.

From the VooDoo ((pictured, thanks David Gladow/nola.com)) website... ahem... quote...

"Bensel also stated that Mr. Benson, who is attending NFL meetings in Florida this week, stressed that this is not an indictment on this marketplace and that he clearly believes in New Orleans, but knows this is the right decision based on circumstances currently affecting the league and the team.

"The VooDoo fans have been the best in the AFL. Their passion, enthusiasm and support made it possible for us to bring two consecutive Arena Bowls to benefit New Orleans. It is a sad day for our community and our organization but circumstances prevented us from continuing in the AFL," said Executive Vice President - Owner - Rita Benson LeBlanc.

"This was a tough decision. We have a very fine football staff led by Head Coach Mike Neu, who I think is one of the finest young coaches in this league. Circumstances have led us to this decision, but I would be remiss if I did not recognize the hard work that the many people on our staff here have put into the VooDoo," said Executive Vice President/ General Manager Mickey Loomis.

More coverage from WRNO Radio in black